Right Back Where We Started From
by bushlaboo
Summary: One-shot Tumblr Prompt response: Olicity time travel (tie in with The Flash maybe) Olicity gets a visit from their teenage children from the future, maybe Sara Diggle can be there too! requested by anonymous.


_**Right Back Where We Started From**_

On a scale from one to ten Sara Diggle figured she screwed up by about a hundred and fifty. Why her father thought it was a good idea to leave her in charge of twin super geniuses was beyond on her, because Thomas and Deardra Queen had been running circles around her since they were five-year-olds. Instructing her to watch the now thirteen year-old pair while visiting STAR Labs had disaster written all over it, but John Diggle had faith in his daughter, or so he told her.

It wasn't that she got talked into allowing Tommy and Dee to explore the sectioned off storage at STAR Labs, but rather she'd got corralled into following them because they would not listen to reason. Like their mother they had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a curiosity that could never be assuaged. She could blame their being there on them, but it had been her own interest in Eobard Thawne's (aka the Reverse Flash) time machine had them all climbing into the vehicle. And of course Tommy had been unable to resist a whole panel of buttons. She'd just been telling him not to touch them, when he pressed down, causing lights to flash and klaxon like noises to sound.

"That's not a good sound," Dee remarked as Tommy shot them an apologetic look that was tinged with excitement.

"I'm—"

"Don't!" Sara cut him off. "You're not sorry."

"Guys," Dee interjected, pointing through window – what could be consider the windshield – where the world outside swirled.

"Crap!" she groaned. This was not going to end well. She was definitely grounded until she turned eighteen. Though if that meant not having to babysit the Queen twins for two years Sara almost welcomed the punishment.

"I _really_ am sorry, Sara," Tommy insisted coming to hover over his sister. He was three minutes older and took his big brother responsibility seriously, a trait their Aunt Thea insisted he inherited from his father.

"Save it for the 'rents," she told him.

"Maybe I should push another—"

"Don't even think about it," she shouted, with a not so gentle smack to the back of his head. "That's what got us into this mess."

While the world continued to spin in swirls of color that would make Dali proud, with lights and alarms sounding inside the vessel, Dee cleaned off the console. The readings on it looked like gibberish to Sara, but she could tell by the way her young friend's brow furled that Dee was putting the pieces together. "We're gonna be in so much trouble," she announced just before everything around them suddenly stopped.

"Holy shit," Tommy exclaimed.

"Language," Sara warned. He simply lifted her chin so her focus was not the console under Dee's fingers and instead was out the windshield. There were three people standing prone – two of them armed – one with a gun and the other with a bow and arrow. Though they were younger than she'd ever seen them with her own eyes Sara recognized them. "Holy shit," she said breathlessly. They were in _so much_ trouble.

* * *

They argued about it for five minutes, but when her dad shot an arrow at the corner of the windshield cracking it, they decided getting out and explaining the situation was their best option. Tommy couldn't recall exactly what button he pushed and she didn't know how to program their return trip – she had a hunch, but she'd feel better about it if her mother confirmed her hypothesis.

"Remember they're our parents, but you know _not_ ," Sara said as they huddled near the doorway of the machine. "We need to suss out if they've met Barry yet."

"And if he's gotten his powers," Tommy reminded them.

"Right. Do either of you remember when Barry told them about time travel?" She and her brother shook their heads no in tandem to Sara's question. "Wonderful," she puffed out. "If they know Wells is Thawne then time travel should have come into play. The important thing is we can't let them know we're their kids."

"Are we sure it works that way?" Tommy inquired.

"Do you want to risk being erased like Marty McFly in _Back to the Future_? Or changing the future? The repercussions alone," Sara trailed off pulling her fingers through her hair, making her agitation clear.

Dee nudged her brother, "This is not some cool science trip Tommy. No geeking out. We need to get in and out quickly without raising any suspicions. Got it?" she asked pointedly.

"Loud and clear," he promised, crossing his heart. "Sara's in charge and we follow her lead."

"I'll believe that if it ever actually happens," Sara muttered opening the door into the past.

* * *

It was weird seeing her dad look at her with distrust. The gun aimed at her wasn't a picnic either, but when the collective gaze that was Team Arrow took in their age, her father lowered his weapon. Her uncle, however, did not. Trust issues, Sara reminded herself.

"Hi," she greeted, with a half-hearted wave. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Tommy and Dee wave as well. As they did so her aunt reached out and tugged on her uncle's arm, trying to get him to lower his bow. When he didn't Felicity huffed and stepped forward between the two men who had flanked her in protective positioning, some things Sara learned would never change.

"Hello," she replied with a friendly smile and her own wave. Sara could barely hear the growled, "Felicity," Oliver released, but it was impossible to miss how Felicity rolled her eyes. They were so them, she thought, but not really because her uncle would never threaten her. In fact, when they got back to the future and he had the memory of this encounter she was fairly certain he'd be angry at himself for his actions.

Having that conversation would be much more pleasant than the talking to her father would give her. Sara's gaze traveled back to him, the warmth and love she was used to seeing shining out from his dark eyes was not there and the twinge she felt at him not recognizing her hurt in a way that she didn't think she could ever put into words.

They all stood there, staring at each other, until Dee poked her. Sara glared back at her, but at the significant look her friend shot her she realized that silence would not get them what they needed it. "Sorry," she mouthed before turning back to their parents. "So," she started for a lack of a better option, "you've met Barry Allen, right?"

"Yes," Felicity answered. At her quick reply, her uncle tensed even further. Sara decided to concentrate on her aunt because looking at her father hurt and she couldn't allow the intimating version of Oliver Queen – and yes, she finally understood why criminals were terrified of him – she'd always seen him as a gruff teddy bear. She didn't exactly enjoy knowing better now.

"And you've worked with the Flash?" she asked hopefully.

Sara saw concern flash across Felicity's face, but she nodded affirmative to her question. "And he's explained about time travel?"

Felicity's jaw dropped, "As in wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey travel through the space-time continuum? Like that's an actual thing? Without a TARDIS. Wait? Is that a TARDIS?" Her father shook his head in exasperation, while her uncle let out another warning "Felicity" while beside her the twins chuckled.

"She's really always done that," Tommy remarked, his voice filled with awe.

Her father step forward, "Mirakuru soldiers and metahumans are one thing but you're asking us to believe in time travel. As in you're from the future and this is the past time travel?"

"Your present our past, well not _ours_ since technically we haven't been born yet … unless maybe Sa—"

"Shut it," Sara snapped.

"It's all present." When the room's collective gaze hit Dee she shrugged. "We're all experiencing it together at the same time, so it's our present."

"I need to see the math to back that up," Tommy replied.

"I doubt the equation has been dreamed up yet. Something to work on when we get home," Dee suggested.

"Enough geniuses," she barked. "Look we just want to get home and we were hoping you'd be willing to help us, Felicity."

"Me?" she squeaked. "Until a minute ago I thought time travel was theoretical, not a real thing."

"We still don't know that it's real," Oliver interjected.

"Oliver Jonas Queen, Starling City vigilante known as the Arrow. You were shipwrecked on an island for five years or at least that's the official story. You spent a year in Hong Kong—"

"Enough," he seethed, pulling the arrow tight in his bow.

"Enough is right," Felicity snapped. "They're kids Oliver, whether they're delusional or not – and seeing how a ship just appeared before us in our secret lair I'm guessing they're not – they're children so you will stop aiming that arrow at them or—"

"Or what, Felicity?" he challenged back.

"Or you can find yourself new technical support, Mister," she threatened. Her uncle released a long suffering sigh, before lowering his bow. Sara felt the tension around the room ease and silently thanked whatever deity was out there for the turn of events in their favor.

* * *

He'd always known his mother was wicked smart, but getting to work with her as an equal and not a mother trying to instruct her son, allowed him a greater appreciation for her; especially with his father looming over them as they worked. How she managed to get anything done with his overbearing presence was a mystery. Tommy planned on telling her so first thing, and who knew, perhaps that would save him from having to experience her loud voice. Though he doubted it.

From outside the vehicle he could feel Sara's impatient gaze and the skeptical eye of her father. It was odd experiencing a not self-assured John Diggle. His uncle always seemed so wise and knew how to handle every situation. Must be a parent trick, as he was sure his father often wasn't sure how to handle them, but always managed to seem like he did.

"You really shouldn't push buttons wily-nily," his mother scolded.

"So I've been told."

"Repeatedly," Dee remarked, as only a smart-aleck little sister could.

"Well if we're interpreting all of this correctly, you should be set for a trip back home."

"Thanks, M—" Dee stomped on his foot. Tommy shot her a withering glare before, strangling out the word, "Madam."

"Felicity, please," she requested smiling up at him.

"Yeah, no that's not going to happen. How about Mrs. Queen?" When her eyes popped huge behind her glasses, he quickly corrected, "Sorry, Smoak-Queen. You hyphenate like Iris."

"She what?" his father strangled out.

Realizing his mistake Tommy paled. "I mean … well I just … you're not …" he looked desperately at his sister to save him from his gaffe, but she had buried her head in her hands.

"Pure speculation," Sara said swooping in with the save. Well possible save, because neither of his parents seemed to comprehend the idea that they were or could possibly be married. To each other. Like that was a real thing.

"If you say so," Diggle scoffed, clearly believing that his friends would end up married.

"Right, well," Sara said trying to move things along, "we should get going. So …" she gestured to removal of his parents from the machine.

"Right! Of course," his mother chirped standing up and grabbing his father's arm. She tugged him along a few steps before realizing what she was doing. When she did she released him and stepped quickly away from him and out of the vehicle. She took up residency slightly behind his uncle, using him like a shield. "Good luck and safe travels," she offered as his father exited the vehicle looking anywhere but at his mother.

Tommy couldn't help but worry that he'd just squashed a butterfly that would end up causing a hurricane or something to that consequence as the quantum butterfly effect proposed though it was hard to recall exactly because he'd let the cat out of the bag and he was silently praying that he hadn't just changed the future.

"Thank you," Sara said replied, shutting the door. "Dee get us home," she instructed. "And you _bonehead_ , mouth shut and fingers off."

He nodded. That was his new motto. In fact, he would have told Sara that if keeping his mouth shut wasn't his new thing. Dee activated the machine and once again lights and sounds sounded and the world outside swirled.

When it stopped they were back at STAR Labs and three familiar faces – his mother, his father, and his uncle – were outside waiting for them with arms crossed and stern looks.


End file.
